Iran Warns Israel To Stop Gaza Attacks Before ‘it’s too late’

The foreign minister of Iran has urged Israel to cease its assault on Gaza, cautioning that if Hezbollah were to become involved, the conflict could potentially escalate to other regions within the Middle East.

On Saturday, Iran's foreign minister issued a call for Israel to cease its attacks on Gaza, cautioning that if Hezbollah were to become involved in the conflict, it could escalate to other parts of the Middle East, resulting in a significant crisis for Israel.

Hossein Amirabdollahian, while speaking to reporters in Beirut, emphasized that Lebanon's Hezbollah group had taken into account all possible scenarios for a war. He urged Israel to halt its offensive in Gaza without delay.

Israel regards Hezbollah as its most immediate and grave threat, estimating that the group possesses around 150,000 rockets and missiles, including precision-guided ones capable of reaching any part of Israel. Hezbollah, with a substantial number of battle-hardened fighters who participated in Syria's 12-year-long conflict, also possesses various types of military drones.

In the wake of the militant Palestinian group Hamas's attack last Saturday, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Israeli civilians and soldiers, Hezbollah fighters have been on high alert along Lebanon's borders with Israel.

Hamas officials have consistently stated that the attack on southern Israel, responsible for over 1,300 civilian and military casualties, was the sole work of the Palestinian group and had no connection to Iran. The Associated Press attempted to reach out to Hamas officials for confirmation and further information regarding the meeting, but received no response.

Amirabdollahian concluded his visit to Beirut on Saturday, which was part of a broader tour that also took him to Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, where Iran wields significant influence.

During his tour, Amirabdollahian met with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday, who provided him with an overview of the group's situation in Lebanon.

“I know about the scenarios that Hezbollah has put in place,” Amirabdollahian said. “Any step the resistance (Hezbollah) will take will cause a huge earthquake in the Zionist entity.”

“I want to warn the war criminals and those who support this entity before it's too late to stop the crimes against civilians in Gaza, because it might be too late in few hours.”Amirabdollahian added.

President Joe Biden, focusing on the threat posed by Hezbollah, has issued a warning to various actors in the Middle East, urging them to refrain from involvement in the ongoing conflict. In response, American warships have been dispatched to the region, and a commitment of unwavering support for Israel has been reaffirmed.

The Iranian foreign minister has conveyed his intent to reach out to U.N. officials in the Middle East, emphasizing that there remains an opportunity to initiate a diplomatic effort to halt the conflict, but such an opportunity might fade in the coming days.

The prospect of a potential new front in Lebanon evokes bitter memories of a fierce and protracted conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, which concluded in a stalemate and an uneasy ceasefire between the two parties.

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